How to sell on Etsy: a practical guide for makers

Learning how to sell on Etsy is a natural next step for many makers who already sell at markets and craft fairs: the same candles, prints or ceramics, but in front of shoppers all over the country. Opening a shop is quick. Running one that makes money takes good listings, honest pricing that covers the fees, and a plan for shipping and stock.

This guide walks through opening a shop, writing listings, taking photos, pricing with fees in mind, shipping, and the part that trips up most in-person sellers: keeping one stock count when you sell in two places. Etsy updates its rules and fees regularly, so we link to Etsy’s own pages for the current details.

Is Etsy right for what you sell?

Etsy focuses on handmade items, vintage goods (Etsy defines vintage as at least 20 years old) and craft supplies. If you resell factory-made products you didn’t design or make, Etsy probably isn’t the right fit. Read Etsy’s seller policy before you start, so you know what’s allowed and how Etsy treats production partners if you use any.

Etsy tends to work well when:

• Your products ship easily and don’t spoil or break in transit.
• You can make or source enough stock to keep listings available.
• Your prices leave room for fees and shipping supplies.
• You can pack and ship orders within a few days, every week.

How to open an Etsy shop

The setup flow changes from time to time, but the steps are much the same:

1. Create an account with an email you’ll keep for the business.
2. Choose a shop name. Use the name customers know from your market booth or labels, if it’s available. Consistency helps people find you after meeting you in person.
3. Set your shop preferences: language, country and currency.
4. Add your first listings. The setup flow walks you through creating one.
5. Set up how you get paid. You’ll add bank details and tax information so Etsy can pay out your sales.
6. Add billing details so Etsy can charge any fees not taken from your sales.
7. Fill in your shop: a banner, profile photo, short “about” section and shop policies for returns, exchanges and processing times.

Etsy charges a one-time, non-refundable shop setup fee, and the amount varies by location. It may also ask you to verify your identity. Check the current requirements during sign-up.

Listing basics

Every listing is a little shop window. Shoppers usually arrive from Etsy search, so your listing needs to say clearly what the item is and match the words people type.

Title

Lead with what the item is, in plain words: “Hand-thrown ceramic mug, speckled white, 12 oz.” Put the most important words first. Skip long strings of repeated keywords; they make titles hard to read.

Description

Answer the questions a customer would ask at your booth: size, materials, care, how it’s made, what’s included, and how long it takes to ship. Short paragraphs or a simple list work well on a phone.

Tags, category and attributes

Pick the most specific category and fill in the attributes Etsy offers, like color, material or occasion. Use all the tags you’re given with phrases shoppers might search, such as “gift for gardener” or “minimalist earrings”.

Variations and quantity

If an item comes in sizes or colors, use variations instead of separate listings, and set the quantity you actually have. Give each product a SKU, the same code you use at the market, so you can match sales across channels later. Our guide to SKUs explains how to set up a simple system.

Photos that sell

Online shoppers can’t pick the item up, so photos do the job your table display does in person. A phone camera is enough.

• Use natural daylight near a window, and avoid the flash.
• Make the first photo a clean, clear shot of the item on a plain background. It becomes your thumbnail in search.
• Add close-ups of texture and detail, the back or underside, and the item in use.
• Show scale with a hand, a coin or a lifestyle shot so people know how big it is.
• Use the same background and lighting across listings so your shop looks consistent.

Pricing on Etsy, including fees

Etsy charges sellers several kinds of fees, which can include a listing fee, a transaction fee on each sale, payment processing fees, and advertising fees if you opt in or qualify for certain ad programs. The amounts and rules change, so always check Etsy’s fees and payments policy for the current figures before you set prices.

A simple way to price for Etsy:

1. Start with your full cost per item: materials, packaging, and a fair value for your time.
2. Add the fees Etsy charges on a sale at your price, including on any shipping you charge, since some fees apply to the order total.
3. Add shipping supplies if they aren’t built into the shipping price.
4. Check what’s left as profit. If it’s too thin, raise the price or reconsider listing that item online.

Our payment fee calculator helps you see what a sale nets after percentage and fixed fees, and the profit margin calculator shows your margin at a given price and cost.

Should your Etsy price match your market price? Many sellers keep them the same so regulars don’t feel overcharged at the booth. Others price slightly higher online to cover fees. Either is fine; just decide on purpose.

Shipping

Shipping is where many new Etsy sellers lose money. Plan it before you list.

• Weigh and measure each item packed, with the box and padding, so your shipping prices are accurate.
• Decide who pays. You can charge shipping separately or build it into the item price and offer free shipping. Etsy shows free shipping to buyers, which some sellers find helps.
• Use Etsy shipping labels if they suit you; you can buy and print postage through Etsy, which also adds tracking to the order.
• Set a realistic processing time. If you only pack on Mondays and Thursdays because weekends are for markets, say so.
• Keep supplies on hand: boxes, mailers, tape, tissue and a thank-you card with your market schedule.

Selling on Etsy alongside markets and craft fairs

Selling in two places is good for business. Market customers find your Etsy shop between events, and Etsy shoppers sometimes come to see you in person. The hard part is stock.

Picture this: you have six of a popular mug. You sell four at a Saturday fair, but Etsy still shows six available. That evening someone orders three online, and you only have two. Now you’re apologizing and refunding, and cancellations can hurt your shop.

Ways to stay in sync without a lot of work:

• Keep one master count. Decide where the true stock number lives, whether a spreadsheet or your point of sale, and update the other channel from it.
• Update Etsy after every event. Check what sold at the market and lower your Etsy quantities that night.
• Hold back a buffer. List fewer than you have online, or set aside a few units for Etsy that never go to the booth.
• Pause listings during big events if a product is likely to sell out in person.
• Use the same SKUs everywhere, so matching sales across channels is quick.

It also helps to know what stock you have and how fast it moves. Our guides to inventory basics and inventory turnover cover that. If you’re still building up your in-person side, see craft fair booth ideas and how to sell at a farmers market.

Taxes and records

Etsy collects and remits sales tax for orders shipped to most US states under marketplace facilitator rules, but your in-person sales are still your responsibility. Keep your online and offline sales records separate and clear so tax time is easier, and check with your state or an accountant about what applies to you.

Where SleepingFire fits

SleepingFire doesn’t integrate with Etsy, so it won’t sync listings or online orders. What it handles is the in-person side: you ring up sales at markets and fairs on a phone or tablet, and stock counts drop with each sale, so after an event you can see exactly what sold and what’s left before updating your Etsy quantities. You can set SKUs, track variants, flag low stock and import products by CSV. See how it works for craft fairs, or read about inventory management.

Frequently asked questions